Sunsets

 Hi Everyone,

It's Pancake Day. I usually miss it, but this morning I had pancakes with maple syrup. Did you?

In other news, winter has been mild this year; we've only had two really cold days. Just now, we are enjoying longer days and we are, of course, looking forward to spring. 

The question on everyone's mind: Will spring come early? Apparently it will if the weather predicting groundhogs do not see their shadows. In the US and Canada, ( 2 groundhogs in Canada) each year a groundhog is yanked from his warm burrow on February 2nd. This year they couldn't locate Wairton Willie, in Wairton, Ontario; obviously he packed up and moved on. Can you blame him? So in Wairton they threw a fur hat in the air and, oh joy, not one witness saw a shadow, so we will have an early spring! No so in the colder regions of the U.S. (Know that I feel your pain.)

Some people despise talking about the weather, so do forgive if you fall into that category. But Canada, it seems, has an agenda because we live in a country of extremes. Here, almost everyone you meet has something to say about the weather. When you don't know the person you are speaking with, the weather can provide common ground. (Yes, we converse with strangers here.) Most Canadians, I think, look forward to what we call "good" weather. I suppose it all depends entirely on your outlook. We do have many lovely winter days too.

So there you have it. The secret of an early spring in the northern hemisphere. I will post a picture of a good weather day for those folks who are longing for spring, but first a sky picture or two. 

                                                                         Amazing

                                                         My head remains in the clouds.

 

                                                      

                                                          Sunset. A little blurry, but so beautiful.

                                                                A good weather day:                                                      

 Fresh, green, warm and sunny with a slight breeze. Perfect!

Hang on. This will happen in a few months.

 

These days the tulips stand at attention on their sturdy stocks. 

* * *

From the Easel...

Pastel 

                       

  This painting has been re-worked a bit. I like it much better now. 

Paper ~ Canson Mi-Teintes Touch--pastel and mixed media. In other words multi-technique. Apparently, that includes charcoal, crayons and acrylic too.

I used a watercolour underpainting in certain areas. 

Would acrylic and pastel really work?

Paper ~ Pastelmat

              

                                  I'm currently reading the last book of  The Wolf Hall trilogy.                                                                                               

                 In case you haven't seen it, the TV series features the first two books of the trilogy. And Mark Rylance plays Cromwell. Cromwell has many sides to his character, including calm, cunning and ruthless. Brilliant. Shrewd. A master of revenge, yet loyal to Henry, in most things. (What choice did he have?) What an intriguing round character, especially viewed from a safe distance on the far side of history. But, still I think most readers will be somewhat sympathetic towards Cromwell. It takes a brilliant writer, I think, to make that happen. 

 Some critics found the depiction of Thomas More unfair. He definitely isn’t pictured in the novels in a favorable light like he was in A Man for All Seasons. I read that play many years ago, and in it he held the moral high ground. But I understand what Mantel's novels tell us about More rings true, although, as we know, historical fiction takes a lot of liberties. (The writer must not only fill in the blanks but make the story work.)

I’m no historian, but actions form history. History is complicated, messy and, in this case, the 'facts' were recorded nearly 500 years ago by who knows who. So what has been overlooked? What’s true? How many sources does it take to make it a fact, and are they reliable? What biases creep in--then and in the present day? (The plot thickens.)

Enter Thomas More the saintly inquisitor who stood against Henry and was charged and executed for high treason. (Apparently he was canonized in 1935 for as near as I can determine  his martyrdom. There's much this grasshopper doesn't understand.) 

Anyway, word has it that More instituted his inquisitor tactics, without mercy, on the strength of his convictions. And we all know what can happen when a person with power believes they are absolutely and unequivocally right. 

I may read Thomas Cromwell:  A Revolutionary Life by the historian, Diarmaid MacCulloch, one day because of the research that went into it. It may be as close to the facts as one might get. For now, I will  finish reading The Mirror and the Light, take a break and then look for books to read with a little less heft.

                                                         Any recommendations?     

 

                               Tea: Numi's aged Earl Grey. Very tasty! And I love the colour. 

                                                           'Til next time...

                                                    Cultivate Your Dreams

  Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, ladies, for hosting.